My Hero Yellow
by hercat
Summary: Summary; Part of a series of Halloween episodes YAHF . More colours of herodom to come, each chapter independent and complete.
1. My Hero Yellow

My Hero (Yellow)

by Hercat

Summary; Part of a series of Halloween episodes. More colours of herodom to come.

Xander glared at Buffy's back as she and Willow cooed over that stupid dress. Why she wanted to dress up for a walking, formerly (and possibly still) psychopathic corpse was beyond him.

If she'd just look his way, really see him for a change, he'd do anything for her. Didn't she understand that? What did he have to do to catch her attention? Maybe this was his chance. He'd get a super cool costume, one that made him look good and she'd…ignore him probably.

How could someone be so damn blind. He smiled at Wills as she brushed her hand down the dress. She'd look pretty good in that dress too, though if he knew his bud, she'd go for the ghost as usual.

He fingered the bills in his pocket. Only five bucks left, but it'd be just enough for a toy gun to go with the fatigues he'd already bought. He swung around to the bargain bin…just in time to see a long-haired chick swipe the last pair of handguns.

"Hey!"

"You snooze you lose Harris. Lara Croft rides again." Cordy smirked and walked off, pistols pointed high.

"Dammit" Xander snapped. There were some swords, but they were kiddy sized - he'd probably look pretty stupid carrying one of those. He could rig something up, but he was short of time, and it would probably look stupid anyways. _I just can't catch a break. Deadboy'll be there looking all…deadly, and I'll be a soldier with a dinky plastic sword. I SUCK._ He kicked at the discount box and the toys rolled around. He looked more closely, then bent to pick out a battered yellow miner's hat. _Wow, this looks like it's been around the block a few times._ He lightly fingered the grooves and gouges - probably why it was there, but Xander could tell it was still solid. _This…I could do something with this._

He borrowed some of the equipment from George next door, who'd been backstop for two years before she decided boxing was more her style. It was way too small, but that was kind of the idea. The most important part came from Joe, who threw in a couple of apples, which he ate as he juggled his way home.

"Wow, you look amazing Buff."

"Thanks Xan. Ah, good construction worker."

"Actually…"

"Oh, that's sooo cool." Xander grinned at Dawn as she peered at him through the banister posts. "If I'd known, I'd've come as The Bowler."

"I dunno if you've got the balls for that." So, it was a little over the top, Halloween was the time for it.

"Xan-der. Hey, I could always track Dad down and cut off his head." Case in point. He put on his worst English accent.

"Pardon me miss, are you saying you inserted your father's skull in that ball for bowling?"  
"What? Oh no, no no no. The guy at the pro shop did it."

Xander sat propped up by the bookcase, fingers worrying at the rim of his helmet. It was like a chunk of someone else's life. _His_ life. It was amazing how much your world could change in a day. _Talk about walking a mile in someone else's shoes. Hellooo Hellmouth version._

"Xander" He looked up to see Giles hovering. "You've been very quiet since the end of the spell."

"I…I'm okay."

"I'm sure you are. Would you like to talk about it? This is after all, the second time you've been possessed."

"Buffy just wants to forget. I dunno how much you know about The Shoveler." He looked over at Giles as the librarian sat on one of those wheely step things and shook his head.

"Pop culture superheroes are hardly my forte."

"That's just it G-man, this guy _is_ a superhero, but he not special. I mean he is, but he doesn't have powers or anything, just a shovel." He eyed what was left of _that_. He probably ought to buy Joe a new one. "He's scared Giles. He _knows_ he could get hurt or killed, but he also knows that he's making things safer for the people he cares about."

"Validation" Giles said.

"Huh?"

"This 'Shoveler' has told you your feelings are acceptable. Perhaps even clarified them for you."

"Yeah, it's already fading though." Giles patted his leg reassuringly.

"Perhaps that's for the best. The human mind isn't designed to hold more than one personality."

"I guess."

"You know Xander, despite the fact I wish you wouldn't risk yourself, I'm proud of you for having the fortitude to do so. I think you might make quite a good Watcher were you so inclined." Giles got up and gripped his shoulder briefly before walking off.

Xander watched him go, then pulled out a crumpled photo that hadn't been there at the start of the night. A family. That's what he'd always wanted, and maybe what he had now. _You know_, he thought to himself as he replaced it, _living on the Hellmouth doesn't always suck._


	2. My Hero Blue

**My Hero Blue**

"Gyah," Buffy yelped as she jumped back, automatically reaching for a stake that wasn't there.

"Easy Buff. It's just me," said the big blue…something standing in her doorway.

"Geezus…Xander?" she said clutching at her chest. This 'bodice' thing was _way_ too tight. No wonder olden-style ladies were always passing out if they had this thing wrapped around them like a hyperactive boyfriend.

"Yep! You okay?" he said leaning forward. Xander was so sweet, always worried about her. Xander was…looking down her cleavage. Which from this angle was pretty damn impressive if she did say so herself. So the bodice thing wasn't all bad. He quickly leaned back, leaving her wondering if she'd imagined it. "Ah…yeah…um, _wow_ you look really great in that thing. Truly, a princess among Cinderellas." He bowed, the…thingies on top of his head flopping forward.

"Lotta blue there Xan, so you're some kind of giant…ant smurf?"

"Certainly Not Fair Damsel, For I Am…The Tick! Defender of Injustice…no wait that should be defender of the innocent, brutalizer of injustice? Something like that."

"Well whatever it is, you don't look half bad. Spandex suits you." A broad goofy grin stretched across his face. Behind her, Dawn thudded to a stop on the stairs.

"Hands off my partner wench," Dawn declared loudly.

"Arthur, looking good! Got your wings?" Dawn turned around to show off the cloth covered backpack she was sporting. Apparently, the other half was white theme; Dawn had a set of antennae too and…

"Are you wearing a bra on your head?"

* * *

Spike was having a bad night. When Dru'd started going on about a lovely night for the bloodsucker, well it had seemed natural to chuck tradition and go out hunting.

And when he'd come across princess-scardy slayer, well it had seemed like a demon's lucky night.

But then…

"Unhand That Woman, Unsightly Committer of Unconscionable Acts!"

That sort of twaddle was a hell of a lot easier to ignore when it didn't come backed up by a pair of fists that could decapitate a vamp. Something the Slayer bint had never been able to manage no matter how hard she tried.

"Eat Lamppost Minor Minion of Darkness!"

Yes, a very bad night.

* * *

"Yes, well, we can all be thankful there only seems to have been limited damage. I shudder to think what might have happened if E… if the magic had been permitted to reign unchecked all night. Have any of the effects of the transformation lingered? Buffy?"

Buffy slid a sheet of paper to him which raised Giles eyebrows, he passed it around, when it reached Xander he could see that really lacy handwriting you only saw on _really_ formal invitations. In French.

"Any additional new skills?" asked Giles curiously.

"Other than the sudden helpage with French, way more info about silverware than any sane person would ever need and styles of dancing I'd never use unless I was old enough to be dead?" _Lets see, who do we know that fits that description? _ "I'm changing the topic of my history paper. Bet I get a really good mark too."

"I see. Willow."

"Zip. Ghost of me so…no new skillset. Just more solid." Wills rapped on the table to demonstrate.

"Go Wills. You have now achieved opacity," mumbled Xander into his arm. He could _feel_ Giles decide to skip him.

"Dawn, I realize this must have been a traumatic experience…"

"Are you kidding? That was maybe the coolest night of my life! I know all kinds of stuff about how adult guys think now" _Because _that's _not going to cause problems down the road._ "AND, I know all about accounting now. I called Stanchum and Mits, they do mom's books, and told them about all the stuff they missed. They hired me on the spot for the summer! They say they don't care how old I am as long as mom gives me permission, and I can make _at least_ four times minimum! I'm going to buy so much cool stuff! This rocks! Can I do it again? Just think, we could all dress up like Rambo or Xena or something! The vamps would never know what hit them!"

"I will explain to you in detail later precisely why that isn't a good idea. Xander?" No response. "Xander, do you remember what happened?" As an answer, he held one hand out, palm up, just below his waist.

"Step." Dawn was the first to catch on, and stood on his hand, which didn't even wobble under her weight.

"Cool beans. You got super strength. Definitely number one in the Halloween sweepstakes!" Dawn looked thrilled by the revelation.

"The Powers That Be are determined to make me fail high school math by making me possessed by stupid people. Stupid hyena, stupid fish and stupid blue superhero. _You_, are not the one who has to put up with this damn MONOLOGUE"


End file.
